


i'm staying with you

by beccabecky



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Canon Compliant, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra (She-Ra)-centric, Crying, During Canon, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, First Kiss, Girls Kissing, Hurt/Comfort, Self-Sacrifice, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) Season 5 Spoilers, THATS WHY, because adora is a self sacrificial dumbass and i love her, during the last ep where they go to the heart of etheria, i finished writing this five minutes ago so if you see any typos, references to death, they all need hugs damn it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24205324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beccabecky/pseuds/beccabecky
Summary: Heart Part 2 but make it only the catradora scenes when they get into the Heart of Etheria room and Catra-centric
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 265





	i'm staying with you

Adora couldn’t transform.

She clutched her wrist, tears budding on her face.

Another shake shook the two of them. The circuits of green grew down the walls. 

“It’s Prime’s virus. It’s keeping me from becoming She-Ra,” Adora said, her voice filled with desperation.

“What does that mean? Is the fail-safe not going to work without her?” Catra asked, already having an inkling of a feeling of what Adora might do.

The mark of the fail-safe bloomed on Adora’s chest. Adora straightened her spine as it appeared, a tear falling down her face. “No,” She said, her voice low and certain, “No, it’ll work.”

Adora looked up to the ceiling, gazing at the tainted myriad of colors. She then turned to Catra. “Get as far away from here as you can,” She insisted, her voice breaking as she said: “I have to do this next part on my own,”

Catra’s eyes narrowed at her, her shoulders tense, “Adora, what is going to happen to you?”

Adora walked to the center of the platform, intentionally refusing to face her, “Without She-Ra, the magic will destroy me,”

Adora’s hands clenched into fists, still not looking at her, “I’m sorry, Catra,” She turned around and said it again, “I’m so sorry,” Adora was shaking. Catra wasn’t sure if it was from fear or guilt. Tears fell from Adora’s eyes, “But there’s no more time. It has to end here,” 

Catra couldn’t tell if she was telling her or herself that.

Adora walked back to her, “I can still save everybody,” Catra still couldn’t tell who she was trying to convince. Why was she doing this? She has no obligation to do this, she always thinks she has to play the hero-

Catra’s train of thought derailed as Adora cradled her head in her hands, bringing their foreheads together. Catra stared at her, a frown etched onto her face. Adora still wasn’t looking at her. Out of what? Cowardice? Guilt? Paranoia? Adora can’t just _leave_ her. She- she can’t. If she does, who will be there for Catra? Or Glimmer and Bow, for that matter. _Why can’t Adora do what she wants for once?_

“It’s okay,” Adora whispered. Her hands slowly moved away from the sides of Catra’s face. “I’m ready,”

No, no, _she_ wasn’t ready. Adora may have been willing to sacrifice herself to save the entire universe but Catra sure as hell wasn’t. They’d spent all this time fighting and only just started getting along again and- and now…

Adora pulled away and Catra grabbed her hands. Adora’s eyes widened in confusion. 

“No,” She said with quiet insistence.

“Catra,” Adora’s voice was congested with tears.

“ _No,_ ” Catra repeated louder. “I’m not leaving. Whatever happens, I’m staying with you,” She’d never forgive herself if she didn’t.

Adora gazed at her with a sad look in her eye, tears still dripping from her face. Adora turned to look at the Heart, and Catra stayed right by her side.

Adora closed her eyes and gradually slumped over, screaming. Catra gripped Adora’s forearm and kept her upright. The mark was quivering and glowed green. The tendrils of Prime’s virus climbed up Adora’s hands and cheeks. Adora fell forward, wailing erratically in pain. What was happening? What was happening to Adora?

Catra knelt by her side, “Adora?” She asked, her wide eyes shifted over her figure in concern.

The mark voiced a high pitched ringing as it crackled over Adora’s body. Her breathing became shallow.

Catra curled her arm under her and brought her body close to her, putting her on her thighs, “No, no, no, no, no,” She said quickly, her thoughts becoming panicked. What was going on? Why was Adora yelling? Is she okay? Why wasn’t she opening her eyes? What was happening to fail-safe? _What was happening to Adora?_

Green light shined above them, making the same high pitch ringing like the mark. The room began shaking again. Still holding Adora in her arms, she looked above them.

At the ceiling of the Heart’s room, where the virus’s circuits stemmed from, it became brighter and brighter until a beam of light shot at the Heart. The light shot out in all directions, making the circuits grow more around the walls and tinting the room jade.

The room began shaking again. Catra knew it was probably from the virus meshing together with the Heart. Either that or Adora was dying, which was something Catra would _not_ like to focus on at the moment. The room was crumbling around them, and yet Catra was holding Adora in her arms, trying to make her stay conscious. 

“Adora,” Catra pleaded, “Adora, stay awake!”

Adora’s eyes were lidded almost closed as she turned her head to look up.

Catra looked behind her and saw the green electricity arcing toward the Heart steadily. She looked back to her, confusion visible in her eyes

“I’m sorry,” Adora apologized in a broken murmur.

Catra held her hand on Adora’s cheek and Adora leaned into her touch, bringing up her hand to place it on top of her's before pulling it back just as quickly.

Adora’s eyes slowly closed and she went slack. Catra felt tears rolling down her face.

“Adora,” She yelled before bringing her up fully in her arms, shoving her face in her shoulder, trying desperately to muffle her sobs. “ _Adora,_ ”

Long beats of silence passed as Catra’s body shuttered with the wails she was forcing herself not to voice, “Adora, please!” She exclaimed once she knew she wasn’t going to snivel in front of her, “You have to wake up,” Her grip on her tightened. Adora’s body shifted in her arms.

Catra quickly loosened her grip on her so then she could see her face, half-formed thoughts, and confessions springing into her mind as she tried to keep Adora somewhat conscious, “You can’t give up,” She said with a high voice, “You have never given up on anything in your life,” 

“Not even on me,” She added quietly. Then, yelling into her face, she said, “So don’t you dare start now!”

Adora’s face scrunched up -which was something Catra would've found cute if Adora wasn't on the brink of possibly dying, but that's neither here nor there, “But I’m too late. I’ve failed,” She muttered.

Hope blossomed in Catra’s chest, “No, no! I’ve got you,” She brought up Adora’s body and rested her chin on her shoulder, gripping her like a vice, “And I am _not_ letting go,”

Adora’s body slowly went limp and Catra felt a surge of anger rush through her. She was just getting her back and _now_ she’s giving up? “Don’t you get it?!” She yelled into her ear, “I love you!”

She slackened her hold on Adora to look at her again, her eyes passing over her features so easily, it was like breathing, “I always have,”

“So, please, just this once… _stay,_ ” She begged, her body becoming racked with quivers as she brought down her head to Adora’s chest. More tears fell down her face, wetting her shirt. She took in a shaky breath. “Stay,” She said under her breath.

The green lightning exploded around them, pulsating waves of sparks. Catra heard a tendril of it coming towards them and tensed up, trying to shield Adora’s body with her own while still maintaining their position. But the impact never came. Instead, a humming sound sounded above her. She pushed herself up by her arms, fully putting Adora on the ground, and looked up. A colorful bob glowed above them and quickly shaped into… a shield?

It teleported away and Catra turned back to Adora staring at her. She was panting so hard Catra would’ve thought she might’ve run a marathon if she was stupid enough.

They stared at each other, questions burning in their eyes. Catra couldn't remember a time when she was more relieved to see the color blue in her life.

Adora broke the silence, "You love me?" The way her lips shaped the words made Catra blush.

"You're such an idiot," Catra joked weakly, barely trying to stifle a faux chuckle. But she quickly dropped it at the look on Adora’s face. Adora was smiling softly at her, a touch of shyness in the corner of her expression, open and hopeful.

"I love you, too,"

Catra's eyes widened.

A beat of silence passed, and that was when Catra decided to make the most impulsive decision in her life.

Leaning in, Catra's eyes slid closed and Adora met her half-way.

And there they were, clutching each other on the ground during the end of the world, and possibly the universe. Catra brought her up closer in her arms. Adora was here, in her grasp; solid, alive, and _kissing her._

Adora stayed. Adora stayed with her.


End file.
